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Monday, August 24, 2009

Modern . . . Author Voice

This is slightly off-topic (for what I said Mondays were for), but what I'm working on right now. As I prepare for the ACFW conference that starts in three short weeks, I need to have all my pitch stuff ready. Including authors I can compare my stuff to.

Now, when it comes to historicals, I'm set on that front. Got my list, no problem. Except that I probably won't be pitching any historicals. I'll have them with me, just in case, but I doubt that'll be my focus. Unfortunately, I don't know who to compare myself to when it comes to contemporaries.

My contemporary voice has turned rather light and witty . . . chatty. And I'm having a hard time finding authors who write like that in third person. Got a few that do first person, but I wouldn't want to say "I write like so and so" when all her stuff is in first and none of mine is.

So yesterday I went through the CBA Bestseller List and the Christy awards, checked all titles that looked promising, read first pages of a ton of books . . . and came up with a few options. Don't know how stellar a list it is, but at least it's something. Because last time, they really did ask me "Who would you compare your writing to?" so I better continue to have an answer!

I'm totally up for revisions, though, if anyone has an author spring to mind who writes contemporary stories in third person, with multiple points-of-view, in a fun, lighthearted voice. Not that hard issues aren't tackled, mind you, but tackled with humor and a healthy dose of sarcasm.

All brilliant suggestions are welcome! (Stupid ones are acceptable too, though no promises that I'll use them;-)